Zelink Week Fics
by crownedcrusader
Summary: A collection of the fics I've posted on tumblr throughout Zelink Week.
1. Chapter 1

"By Your Side"

* * *

It wasn't like Tetra had _chosen_ to be Princess Zelda.

She didn't know the first thing about this kingdom under the sea. She barely knew the legends of the Hero of Time, much less the princess he'd saved and her own lineage. It wasn't like she'd signed up for this!

But she'd been locked under the sea, then _kidnapped_ , all because she was 'actually' the Princess Zelda.

Well, what if she didn't _want_ to be Princess Zelda?

Maybe she wanted to be Tetra, the fiercest pirate on the sea. Maybe she wanted to go on with her life, leading her crew and exploring the seas. Maybe she wanted to be free to be _herself_.

But did that King of Red Lions care about that? Of course not.

He just wanted to save this kingdom that had already been drowned under the sea. Well, maybe it had been drowned for a reason! Maybe Hylians had been meant to live on these oceans. Maybe they didn't _want_ to go back into the valleys under the sea. Maybe they were happy with their lives! Maybe they _liked_ the smell of the sea, and the freedom the ocean provided, just like she did!

But for all the agitation Tetra felt at her life being ripped away from her—

For all the times she'd wondered what would become of her, down there below the waves—

For all the times she'd cursed that king for ever bringing her to this strange ancient kingdom—

That _boy_ had gone through so much more than she had.

Though she'd certainly had _her_ life turned upside down—without her choice at all, mind—Link had his turned upside down, inside out, and sideways. Sure, he'd had more choice in the matter. He'd _chosen_ to go and save his sister, he'd chosen to continue on saving the world after he'd rescued her, and he'd chosen to go and save Tetra once she was kidnapped by Ganondorf.

But he'd faced things so much more dangerous than Tetra had—and despite his age, despite his inexperience, and despite his tiny size, he'd won every time.

She wasn't privy to every detail, of course. But word traveled fast across the ocean. She knew that he'd saved Dragon Roost Island from the monster plaguing Valoo. She knew he'd battled off against a monster in the Forbidden Woods. He'd been the one to raise that gigantic tower in the middle of the ocean, too—and she could only imagine what trials had awaited him inside.

Tetra could only guess what else he'd gotten up to after that.

But he was still here—and he was still fighting.

Even after he'd fought Ganondorf once today, even after having the Master Sword knocked from his hands, even after he'd been beaten around like a ragdoll, he was still fighting.

The world was ending around them, water raining down in a torrential downpour, but Link was still alive, and breathing, and Tetra knew instinctively that as long as he had a pulse, he'd get back up to fight. And Tetra knew just as instinctively that as long as there was breath in her body, she would help him.

Link had made her reconsider everything she'd ever known.

Before Link, she had been perfectly happy getting on with her life. She had her crew, and her ship, and the smell of the ocean air. Sure, she had that strange necklace her mother had given her, and those legends her mother had told her. Sure, there were strange things starting to happen on the seas. But her life was simple and straightforward. She was just a pirate, living her life the way she always had.

And then Aryll was kidnapped, and Link turned Tetra's world upside down.

Suddenly, Tetra had more roles to fill than she knew what to do with. She couldn't just be a pirate anymore. Suddenly there was a world under the sea that she was supposedly the princess of. Suddenly she was the heir to a legacy she didn't know what to do with. Suddenly she had to be a damsel in distress and take a backseat to her own destiny, letting some island boy save her and the rest of the ocean while she was left below the sea.

Suddenly, she was just a girl filling shoes too big for her. She prayed that Link had an easier time filling his than she had filling hers.

But fate didn't care that Tetra was just a pirate, just a princess, just a girl—because it didn't care that Link was just an islander and a hero and a boy. They had so many roles to fill, and it didn't matter how young they were, or what they _preferred_ to do. They had jobs now. And if they failed, the consequences would be tremendous.

Link had risen to the occasion.

It was time that Tetra had done the same.

So as Tetra woke from her enchanted sleep, she knew what she had to do.

She knew that whether she was Princess Zelda, or Tetra the Pirate, or just a girl filling shoes far too big for her, she was going to fight by Link's side till the bitter end.

Though only a truly pure, wholly courageous heart could wield the Master Sword, Tetra didn't hesitate as she reached for it. If they were going to succeed—if Link was ever to finish this battle against Ganondorf—then he would need it.

She lifted it with ease.

"Link, I'm sorry," she said, walking to Link's side, watching as he pulled himself up off the ground. "I overslept."

And the look he gave her was enough to cement her decision. She couldn't abandon this boy. She _wouldn't_. They were a team now, both playing characters larger than life from an age long past, buried in ancient history and this world below the sea.

So it didn't matter that the rain was pouring down around them. It didn't matter that they were alone here, and they would either live or die here below the sea. It didn't matter that Ganondorf struck her when she fired Light Arrows at him. It didn't matter.

All that mattered was that every time Ganondorf landed a hit on Link, Tetra felt a fire burning in her belly. All that mattered was that there was no way, by land or by sea, or by the gods in the heavens, that Tetra would let Ganondorf go unpunished for it.

And as this months-long journey finally came to an end with the Master Sword in Ganondorf's temple, Tetra felt a grim satisfaction.

It wasn't like Tetra had _chosen_ to be Princess Zelda.

But no matter who she was, she knew her true role. And that was to support Link, whether it was during the battle, or the lifetime they would have together now that it was finished.

So when Link wavered, when he clutched his side and started to fall to the rain-soaked ground, Tetra ran. He wouldn't fall, not now, and not ever—not as long as she was there to hold him up.

Whether they were hero and princess, or islander and pirate, or just two kids trying to find a place in this brave new world, she knew what her role was.

Now, and forever, Tetra belonged by his side.


	2. Chapter 2

Zelink Week, Day Two: Protection

* * *

Zelda was only four when her whole world changed.

Though she'd later forget everything leading up to that one crucial moment, her morning had been peaceful, just like any other day on Skyloft. Earlier, she'd played tag and hide-and-seek with Karane, and later, she'd made mud pies in one of the pumpkin patches. When her life had changed forever, though, Zelda had been digging in the garden outside Orielle and Parrow's house. They grew some of the best heart flowers around, but Zelda liked to think they'd look even prettier if they were rearranged _juuust_ a little.

She liked to think of herself as something of a gardener, after all—as well as a knight, an artist, and especially an explorer.

She'd already covered almost every inch of Skyloft, after all. Compared to the other kids, she was something of a legend, or so she liked to think. No place was too scary for her, not even the bathrooms when the lights were off. The cave, the pond, the Knight Academy rooftop—she'd explored every inch that her child sized figure could reach, and what she couldn't get to, she'd made plans to visit just as soon as she was tall enough. Zelda could proudly say that she was Skyloft's best and youngest explorer, and thus the master of hide and seek every time she played with the other kids on Skyloft.

However, because of her skill at hide-and-seek, she couldn't help her astonishment when a whole new _person_ came to Skyloft in her papa's arms.

And he was _her_ _age_ , too!

Had he been hiding all this time? Was someone else better at hiding than Zelda, the residential master of hide-and-seek?!

But Zelda realized, brows furrowing up in confusion, that if she was only just now seeing him, then he sure must've been hiding an awful long time. Didn't he know no one was supposed to hide _all_ the time?

Zelda abandoned her game in the garden in an instant, rushing over to her papa.

"Papa?" she asked, having to trot to keep up with him. He was sure moving in a hurry with that kid—what was so important about getting him inside? It was a pretty day outside! "Where're you going with that kid? Who is he?"

"Not now, Zelda," her papa said, keeping his voice soft. "He's asleep."

"It's awful early for a nap time," Zelda said. "Is he sick or somethin'?"

Her papa looked down at her with a sad look on his face. "I'm not sure yet, sweetheart. But I'm taking him inside. Go play with Pipit for a while, won't you? Tell his mother I sent you."

"But—"

Zelda received only a stern look for an answer, so she knew her papa meant business.

Still—there was a whole new person on Skyloft, and he was her age! Even if he _was_ sick, he'd get better, right? And then they could play! So Zelda practically bounced all the way to Pipit's house and told his mama that she had to stay here for a while because her papa said so.

All as she played, though, she couldn't help but glance at the window. She could just make out Knight Academy from here… Was that boy in one of the rooms? And where _had_ he been hiding, anyways? It had to be a really good place if he was only found just now!

Zelda supposed she'd just have to ask him later, when he was feeling better. Maybe she could use it as a hiding spot sometime, too!

* * *

When Pipit's mama took her home for the night, Zelda could hardly contain her excitement. Surely the boy would be feeling better now, right?

But as she was dropped off outside her papa's office and told not to go anywhere 'cause Pipit's mama had to go back home to tuck Pipit in, she couldn't help but overhear her papa in the office. It sounded like he was talking to Horwell and Owlan… But they were using a whole lot of grown up language and talking pretty quietly, so Zelda could only make out some of what they were saying even with her ear pressed up against the door.

"—must've been alone for days, the poor thing."

"…mother passed away … was already cold when I got there."

"—thought someone had checked that island?"

"The sickness … no longer on Skyloft, so I assumed … must have lingered …"

"…a tragedy…"

"…going to take care of him, now that…"

"…preposterous, I have my studies…"

"…have my own daughter to think about, Owlan, you know that. Can't you…"

"…can't support…"

"…if you don't, then… no other choice…"

"You can't—"

The voices got louder and footsteps soon joined them. Zelda quickly backed away from the door, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping so obviously.

"If I don't take care of him," her father said. "Then who will? I might have my own daughter to think about, but this boy at least needs a home. We can ask around the island for people to help support him, and I certainly hope I won't be raising him alone. But someone has to step up. I suppose it might as well be me."

"But sir—"

"No, no, you had your chance to step up. I see now that the responsibility will fall to me."

With that, the door opened, and Zelda prayed that she looked innocent as she was sitting on the bench a few feet away from the door.

Still, though, her papa looked surprised to see her, and Zelda smiled up at him as if she hadn't just heard him sounding so scary to Horwell and Owlan.

"What are you doing here, sweetheart? Papa told you to stay at Pipit's mama's house…" Still, even if he looked a little puzzled, her papa picked her up and rested her on his hip.

Zelda hugged him around his middle, glad to be carried. "She dropped me off 'cause it was almost Pipit's bedtime and he hadn't had a nap today."

Her papa sighed but ruffled her hair nonetheless. "Well, perhaps it's for the better," he said. "I'd like to introduce you to a new friend."

Zelda lit up immediately. "The boy from earlier?"

He nodded. "His name is Link. He doesn't have a mama or papa to look after him anymore, sweetheart," he said. "So I'm going to watch him from now on."

"Link," Zelda said, testing the name on her tongue. "Is he gonna be okay without his mama and papa?"

Her papa smiled a little sadly but nodded his head all the same. "I'm sure he will be. We just have to give him some time to adjust. It's been… very rough for him. You'll be sweet to him, won't you, Zelda?"

"Like I gotta be sweet to the littler kids on the island?"

"Exactly," he said. "Be patient with him. He doesn't talk very much, and he's very easily scared. Be gentle."

It seemed to Zelda that her papa was telling her how to treat remlits all over again, but she nonetheless took the words to heart. "I'll be nice to him, papa, I promise! I'll be the best friend he'll ever have!"

Her papa smiled a little, and he seemed less sad this time.

Soon they'd come to a room Zelda recognized as the one right next to her own, and her papa gently pushed open the door. It had very sparse furniture, but it did have a comfy looking bed, and a single boy curled up on top of it.

No matter how friendly Zelda tried to look, though, the boy simply hugged his knees and stared at them like they were monsters. Zelda didn't know why he looked so scared of them, but she supposed if he'd been hiding for so long, it'd be easy to think of people as monsters!

And if he was scared, then it was her responsibility as his new best friend to protect him. But first, she had to introduce herself. So once her papa set her down, she walked right up to him and held her hand out.

"I'm Zelda," she said. "And you're Link, right?"

The boy, frightened as he was, slowly looked a little less scared the longer she stood next to him. Finally he nodded, though he didn't unwrap his arms from his knees to take her hand.

Realizing that she needed to be a little gentler if he was going to take her hand, though, she lowered her voice and used the same soft tone she used with the little ones on Skyloft. "Well," she said, "You don't know me yet, but we're gonna be best friends soon, okay?"

Link frowned a little, and still didn't say a word, but oh-so-slowly, he offered her his left hand.

Zelda took it with her right hand, and clumsily shook it. "It's nice to meetcha, Link! And don't worry, okay? My papa's gonna take real good care of you from now on, and so am I! I'll protect you from all the scary stuff on Skyloft, so you don't hafta be scared ever again. That's a promise!"

Even though Link didn't say a word to confirm or deny what she'd said, he didn't look quite so scared anymore. Maybe a little confused, and a little uncertain, but at least he wasn't so afraid. Zelda smiled brightly at him and let go of his hand, allowing her papa to pick her back up.

"It's Zelda's bedtime, Link, and I believe it's yours, as well," her papa said, keeping his voice sweeter and gentler than she'd heard in a long time from him. "I'll be back soon to tuck you in. Would you like that?"

Link didn't nod or shake his head, but Zelda's papa smiled at him anyways.

"That's okay. You can decide when I come back, how's that?"

The boy still didn't say anything, and Zelda's papa soon left the room to go tuck Zelda in.

He was quick, though, and Zelda found herself tucked snugly under the covers. Her papa left without giving her a story, and she supposed she understood, because just as soon as he finished tucking her in, he left for Link's room, right next to hers.

Though a crack in the wall just big enough for her tiny arm to fit through, she could see and hear her papa talking to the boy. Link wasn't saying anything back though, and he looked a little scared now that he'd been alone again. After a while, her papa finally gave up and left after promising he'd be back in the morning, and Link was left alone again.

Zelda wondered for a moment why Link looked so scared to be alone, but she supposed if he'd been hiding for so long, he might've gotten lost. That would mean he hadn't been hiding intentionally, right? …Maybe he hadn't realized he'd been found.

Zelda felt bad for him, but she wasn't sure what she could do to help.

Still, she was brave, and it was her job as Link's new best friend to help him, right? So she pushed away her covers and grabbed her blanket and headed for the crack in the wall.

"Psst," she whispered, and Link looked up, startled to hear someone on the other side of the wall. "It's me, Zelda. I'm right next door to you, isn't that cool?"

Link didn't say anything in return, but that was okay. Zelda was learning not to expect a reply. Instead, she just smiled when he looked less afraid.

"I can't fit all the way through this crack here," she said, thrusting her tiny arm through the gap in the wall, "But my papa always holds my hand when I'm scared, so I was thinking… if you're feeling scared, you can come over here, okay? But bring your blankie, my papa says it's not good to be cold at nighttime."

Despite Zelda's instructions, Link stayed still for a long while, looking extremely hesitant. But—and Zelda almost danced with happiness—finally he stood up and grabbed his blanket from off his bed. He came over to the wall beside her and sat down next to her, carefully wrapping his blanket around himself.

And before Zelda could even make a reach for his hand, he'd reached out and grabbed hers, holding it gently but securely.

"I'll stay here all night if you want me to," Zelda whispered. "Is that okay?"

Link nodded, and Zelda smiled, unable to keep from being happy now that he was finally warming up to her.

Still, it was late, and she'd had a long day of playing, and he certainly looked tired now that he wasn't so scared. It didn't take long at all for the two toddlers to fall asleep, both wrapped up in blankets, hands still holding each other's through the crack in the wall.

* * *

They were sixteen now, and Link had long since been moved downstairs with the other boys. These days Karane was in the room next to Zelda, and while they certainly had fun gossiping through the gap in the wall, it was nothing quite like those years Zelda and Link held hands, or passed notes, or laughed about nothing through that gap.

Zelda missed those days more than she cared to admit.

Still, some things never changed. As she looked around the cafeteria and found Link nowhere in sight—and Groose and his cronies also mysteriously absent—she couldn't help but sigh. It seemed that after all these years, she was still the one to look out for him—his protector.

After promising Hena that she'd be right back, Zelda hurried outside and looked around for any sign of them. A gut feeling led her to the Sparring Hall, and sure enough, she heard voices inside even though it was _supposed_ to be closed for the evening.

"—I think Zelda will be able to handle one dinner without a loser like you," Zelda heard Groose say, and her eyes flashed with indignation. Zelda immediately tried to open the door to the sparring hall, but found that it was locked and barred shut. Not sure how else to get in, she listened against the door, wanting to at least know what that tool was saying to her best friend. "She'd like me a thousand times better if you didn't monopolize all her time. I mean, I'm clearly the better choice for a babe like her."

"She's not a _babe_ ," Link said, and Zelda was surprised to find that her sweet, quiet best friend almost sounded _angry_. "She's a person."

Groose tsked, and Zelda's eyes widened in alarm when she heard a sudden crash. "See, _this_ is your problem, Link. You've been friends with her so long that you don't see the bigger picture. You _only_ see her as a person, not as the gorgeous dame she is. That's why you oughta let me take her off your hands, you know? So she can see what a _real man_ looks like."

"Yeah! A real man," Cawlin chimed in, with Stritch throwing in a "Get him, Groose!"

Still, Link didn't sound intimidated, though he did seem to be struggling with _something_. "If _you're_ what a real man looks like," he said, voice strained as if he was pushing against something, "Then I don't think she's impressed."

"What do _you_ know?" Groose said. "You're just a space cadet. Always late, always falling asleep in class… Just because you're good at swinging a sword around in training doesn't mean you can get away with being so lazy every other way, you know!"

There was another crash, and Zelda suddenly heard a door slam.

Link's voice was muffled when she heard him cry out again. "Groose! Let me out, they'll know it was you who locked me in here!"

"Says who? Everyone knows you come in here to train some days. Who's to say you didn't come in here and accidentally lock yourself inside?" Groose laughed, and Cawlin and Stritch joined in a beat after, clearly a bit slow on the uptake. "I'm sure someone will come looking for you eventually! If not, hey, Eagus always checks this place in the morning, right? Sweet dreams, sucker!"

Knowing Groose was about to exit the Sparring Hall, Zelda took a step back from the door. She crossed her arms, adopting the single angriest expression she knew how to make, and stared him down when he finally burst through the doors.

She couldn't help but feel a little mollified when Groose looked about ready to faint from shock.

"Excuse me," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "I believe you've taken something from me."

"W—What? Taken something? Ha, not a chance," he said, and Zelda could practically see the sweat on his brow as he lied. Still, his crush on her was obvious, and after a moment of having her stare him down, his cheeks reddened and he looked away. "I—I, uh, there's… there's something I gotta do… L-Later!"

Soon, he'd run past her, with Cawlin and Stritch following close behind.

Zelda shook her head. She'd deal with them later. For now, she needed to unlock the door to the storage closet and let Link free.

"Link?" she called, tentatively approaching the door. "I'm sorry I didn't get here earlier, but the door to the Sparring Hall was barricaded shut." Wanting to spare his pride, couldn't let him know that she'd heard the whole thing. Besides, she knew just how much he hated being confined. It was one of the few things that truly scared him—confinement, and being abandoned.

After all, though Zelda hadn't understood it when she was young, she now knew how her father had found Link all those years ago. Before Link had come to Skyloft, he'd lived on one of the outer islands with his mother, as his father—a knight of Skyloft—had died shortly after he was born. His mother had looked after him just fine for years, till she'd suddenly fallen ill. Since she wasn't a regular resident of Skyloft, no one had noticed much when she'd started to look sick, and she'd been dead for days before anyone even came to her house to check on her.

Link, not quite four, had been alone and trapped inside his room for almost three days.

Though he hadn't fallen ill like his mother—a small blessing—he'd been weak from dehydration and hunger by the time Zelda's father found him.

So for Groose to trap Link inside the storage room…

Zelda would give anything to punch that low-life. Even if it was just once, even if she was suspended for days afterwards, it would be worth it to give him some punishment for what he'd done.

Still hearing no answer from Link, Zelda slowly opened the door, relieved to find that he looked fine, if a little shaken and far too happy to see her.

"Wasn't sure if you were gonna find me for a while," he said. Before he could voice more of his worries, though, Zelda pulled him into a hug, surprising him. "…Hey, I'm alright, don't worry about me."

"Don't be silly, I'm always going to worry about you," Zelda said. "I'm your best friend, remember?" When he didn't pull away, she couldn't help but tease him a little, hoping to make him feel a bit better. "Plus, I made a promise, remember? To protect you from all the scary stuff on Skyloft."

"Zelda, we were _four_ ," Link said, but there was laughter in his voice. "How do you even remember that?"

"Because, silly. That was the day I met _you_. And everyone remembers the best day of their life, don't they?"

Zelda could feel heat coming from Link's ears, but she didn't comment on it, instead allowing him to keep his pride.

He seemed to be feeling a little better soon after, though, because when he pulled away, there was a small smile on his face. "We should probably get some dinner before Hena yells at us for being late," he said, starting to stand.

"That's probably a good idea." Zelda stood up with him, but as they started back to the Academy, she couldn't help but hold her hand out for Link. Whether it was for old times' sake or just because she wanted his hand in hers to know he was okay, she wasn't sure, but she was happier than she should have been when he took it.

And as Link walked beside her, his hand warm and smooth, Zelda couldn't help but lace her fingers with his. Even if this was just friendly, even if they'd been doing this since they were kids, she couldn't help but smile.

Whether she was Link's classmate, or best friend, or the girl whose hand he held when he was scared, Zelda always wanted to be there for him. After all, she'd always been his protector first and foremost, and that wasn't a role she'd ever outgrow.

* * *

(In just over a year, though, she'd find that Link was destined to be just as much her protector as she was his.)


End file.
